Life and style blog of two fashion loving physician sisters

Getting Summer Ready

Hope you are all doing well. It has been a while since I made a post on the blog but I have been busy with final exams. I am finally done the first part of my exam and deserve a small break. As the weather in Edmonton starts to improve I can’t help but day dream about summer! I took a post exam trip to the mall and stocked up on some great summer essentials. With warmer weather and shorter hemlines come other concerns such as waxing! When I am busy with school the small things are put on hold. When Sina from Buff Wax Spot in Edmonton approached me to try out her wax bar I was excited to give it a try. I needed a wax and this was a great way to try a new local business.

The Wax Bar concept was something that was new to me so I sat down with Sina and did a Q &A.

Q. What is a wax bar?

A. A wax bar is a beauty bar dedicated to providing waxing, and waxing only! This is concept exists in major cities but is new to Edmonton.

Q. Why did you decide to open a wax bar in Edmonton?

A. The wax bar concept is a business model that I’ve always admired. The idea of taking a basic beauty service, picking apart the process, and perfecting each step was appealing. After moving to Edmonton I couldn’t find a place to get waxed where the service was consistent and I felt comfortable. I used to go back to Toronto often and got my waxing done there. After a while I needed to find a place where wax services were reliable and reasonably priced, and decided to open my own wax bar! The four main pillars Buff Wax Spot is built on are cleanliness, meticulousness, speed waxing and affordability. We have highly trained Wax Techs who can provide you with the best wax services in Edmonton.

Q. What types of waxes do you use?

A. In order to understand the waxing business, I took a wax certification course in Calgary. After six months of testing various waxes, I found our dream wax. At Buff Wax Spot, we use a combination of hard wax and strip wax. The hard wax is great for small, sensitive areas of the body while strip wax does the heavy lifting for arms, legs, back, etc.

Q. How long should people wait between appointments?

A. If you’ve been shaving, come in after at least two weeks post-shave. This ensures the hairs are long enough for the wax to grab. Once you begin waxing, wait 4-5 weeks between appointments. We suggest waiting 4-5 weeks between waxing since the hair is at the most active stage of growth about every 4 weeks. With consistent wax appointments, hair growth reduces and hairs come back finer and sparser since waxing pulls the hair out from the root, therefore damaging its ability to regenerate. We really recommend being diligent for the first 5-6 months of waxing to ensure maximum reduction in hair growth and coarseness. You WILL notice the difference!

Q. For those waxing for the first time is there anything to do in order to minimize the pain?

A. Your pain tolerance is unique to you so don’t bother reading about other people’s experiences online! Ultimately, you’ll just need to try waxing to see if it’s for you. Excessive caffeine, a tough workout, a rough patch in your relationship or job, and the week before your period all affect your pain tolerance. You can take an over-the-counter painkiller 30min before your appointment if you like. We actually don’t recommend using a numbing cream because it can affect your perception of temperature and also leaves a greasy film on the skin. It is important to tell your Wax Techs about pre-existing medical conditions, anti-aging or anti-acne products you’re using, and what medications you’re on. For example, blood thinners can lead to more bruising.

At Buff Wax Spot, we specialize in speed waxing, our waxes the best on the market, and our wax technique is unparalleled. Our favourite moments are when first-timers exclaim that it wasn’t as bad as they thought it would be, and that they wished they’d tried it sooner!

Q. What do you recommend doing after waxing?

A. The day of your wax, less is more. We have a post-wax checklist in every room at Buff Wax Spot that outlines the do’s and don’ts, post-wax. Our most important recommendation is to stay away from any sweaty exercise routines, hot tubs, saunas or swimming pools for 24 hours in order to minimize chaffing or inflammation. Also, daily exfoliation post-wax is absolutely essential to keep your pores open and avoid ingrown hairs. For exfoliants, we recommend a combination of manual exfoliation (e.g., with a dry brush) to reduce buildup of dead skin and a chemical exfoliant (e.g., products that contain salicylic, lactic and/or glycolic acid) to clear oil and dirt from the pores which can lead to congestion and ingrown hairs.

Q. What are the benefits of waxing?

A. In the short-term, you can visibly see and feel the difference in hair growth and texture. Plus, it’s so much easier letting a professional take care of your hair removal needs. Let’s face it, nobody has time for awkward contortionist acts to get a razor where it doesn’t belong in the first place! Shaving is very abrasive and rough on the skin. Long-term benefits of waxing include permanent, reduced hair growth over time. Waxing is the most affordable, permanent hair reduction method on the market. Waxing also purges the skin’s surface of dead skin leaving it soft and glowing. For legs and arms, the exfoliation from waxing can do wonders for dry skin.

Q. Is a wax bar just for women?

A. Buff Wax Spot is for women AND men! Manscaping in particular is on the rise (hello man-brows and dudezilians!) because men are just as frustrated with shaving as women are. We pride ourselves on our gender neutral, welcoming environment. Approximately 15% of our clientele are men. Back, chest and intimate waxing are the most popular services for men at Buff Wax Spot.

Hope this post helps all of you look into you options for waxing and get ready for summer. See if your city has a wax bar and if you live in Edmonton check out Buff Wax Spot! I loved my experience. I had both an underarm and a Bare Buff Brazilian wax. I had not had a wax in a while and my services was efficient had minimally painful. My Wax Tech was friendly and knowledgeable which put me at ease. I would definitively return for future services!

Hope you are all having a great week!! Follow us on Instagram @bawansisters for more frequent updates!